Effect of Compatibilization on the Melt Properties of Mixed Waste Plastics

Abstract

The amount of waste produced increases globally, and valuable resources are lost if materials contained in wastes are not recycled. One such important material group is plastics, but it is typically mixed in municipal solid waste. In this paper, the effect of maleic compatibilizer on the melt properties of mixed waste plastic is studied in order to evaluate the effect of compatibilization on the processability of reclaimed plastics. The results indicate, that compatibilization has significant effect on both melt flow rate and melt volume index. Both are decreased notably, suggesting that compatibilization may impair the processability of mixed waste plastic, even though it is expected to improve other properties.